Small Town News

CBP seized drugs and apprehended illegal entrants

A 56-year-old Mexican male from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, who was apprehended by Ajo Border Patrol agents in June 2011, was sentenced to six years in prison on December 19.

Yaroslav Romero-Vega was prosecuted for attempting to illegally re-enter the US. During processing at the Ajo Station, he was found to have been convicted in 2000 for possession of narcotic drugs for sale and sentenced to five years in prison.

Following processing, the case was submitted to the US Attorney's Office for re-entry of a felon. Romero-Vega will be formally removed from the US following his six years in prison. He is banned for life from all legalization processing.

Ajo agents seized about 70 pounds of marijuana hidden in a vehicle's gas tank following a vehicle stop on Friday, December 20. A drug dog alerted to the presence of narcotics and agents seized the narcotics and vehicle. All three occupants face federal drug charges.

A man from Michoacan, Mexico, was apprehended after he entered the US. He admitted to being a member of a street gang in Phoenix and now faces federal prosecution for illegal entry.

Agents located eleven bundles of marijuana and arrested a smuggler near State Route 56 on Saturday, December 21. The marijuana weighed about 530 pounds and had an estimated value of $265,000. The smuggler faces federal prosecution for narcotics smuggling.

On Friday, December 23, Ajo agents on horseback in the Qui-jotoa Mountains on the Tohono O'odham Nation arrested three adults and three juveniles from Sinaloa, Mexico, and seized eight bundles of marijuana weighing 400 pounds and valued at about $200,000. The smugglers face federal prosecution for narcotics smuggling.

Responding to a rescue beacon on Sunday in the West Desert, Ajo agents rescued a Mexican national. He did not require medical attention and was transported to the Ajo Station for processing and removal.

Six Mexican nationals were apprehended with assistance from the Air National Guard. During processing, one man admitted to being a member of a sect of the Sureno 13 gang. He had spent three years in prison for cocaine possession and was previously removed from the US.

Copyright 2012 Ajo Copper News, Ajo, Arizona. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

Original Publication Date: January 4, 2012

Copyright: Copyright 2012 Ajo Copper News, Ajo, Arizona. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.